Two of My Old Poems for February

I wrote the following two poems long ago, when I was teaching at Alice Lloyd College in Pippa Passes, Kentucky. This was in a county (Knott County) so small in population that in 1978-79 there were no traffic lights (well a blinking yellow light by Carr's Fork Lake). I still love these simple poems.

I love the evocativeness of the word "turtle" in the second poem. The word in the Song of Songs is often translated as "turtledove." But I like to use the word "turtle." Some American Indians called this land we call America "Turtle Island." That gives this poem a nice little twist.

February’s Dream

the snow lies thick upon the earth

the groundhog saw his shadow

the nights are long and bitter cold

but I have watched closely

and have seen some signs:

the morning concert of chirping birds

tree twigs turned a shade of red

silver maples’ pregnant buds

I have felt the quickening

first hope in this hard winter

I look for the crocus

and remember the birth

of a love

(Pippa Passes, Kentucky
February 1979)

Song of the Turtle

“and the song of the turtle is heard

throughout the land.” Song of Songs 2:12

winterwaiting

our spirits hibernating

like our brothers the bear

our sap slow and deep

our thoughts turned in

but what’s this?

a turtle coos victory over death

the earth quickens

sends out magic crocus

forsythia explode

ecstatic mirror of the sun

redbud promise

dogwood dance under the April moon

our sap is running

our love is blooming

our spirits dancing

to the turtle’s magic song

(Pippa Passes, Kentucky
February 1979)

Poem Set in April in Floyd County, Kentucky

April on Right Beaver

Floyd County, Kentucky

In early April,

head north along Right Beaver

from Caney Creek to Wayland . . .

Our winter hearts bloom forth

amid the slagheeps and junked cars,

the garbage on the creek banks.

Out from our heartbreak,

a piercing beauty of dogwood

a riot of redbud in impossible bloom

limn the twisting road for miles.

On the steep hills over the creek

sarvis trees in full flower shine through

the early spring gray,

remind of another era

when circuit-riding preachers held “sarvices”

for the winter’s dead

(and we have felt like the winter’s dead!).

This exuberant beauty peaks in Passion Week,

and we know both our wounds and our healing,

our blood, his blood, and this surprising grace--

Our lives so filled up

brim over with sorrow, pain

gratitude and beauty

all mixed and blended and tossed together;

Who can view this beauty, who can live it,

without weeping and singing

“Alleluia”

[ Robert M. Coughlin / April 4, 1999]

The Great Folk Singer John McCutcheon Coming to Nighttown Tavern on Thursday, March 27th

John McCutcheon

I can hardly think of a more wonderful night out--John McCutcheon, the national treasure folksinger, playing his instruments and singing his songs at Brendan Ring's great pub in Cleveland Heights, Nighttown. It's happening tomorrow at 8 pm.

I first met John back in 1978, at Alice Lloyd College in Pippa Passes, Kentucky. John did a little concert then came to a party afterwards. I have seen him in concert a few other times. Once in a church in Kent, Ohio; once at Lakeside (Ohio's Chautauqua) near Marblehead, Ohio. And I think at Cain Park in Cleveland Heights. John comes originally from Wisconsin, but has made his life and career around Virginia. Of course, much of the time he is touring the country and the world. All of his songs are fun, and some of them are very focused on social justice issues. He accompanies himself on guitar, banjo, fiddle, hammer dulcimer--and probably a dozen other instruments.

John has an interesting website: John McCutcheon On his site you can read his bio, sample and purchase his music, and look at his concert schedule.

One of my favorite John McCutcheon songs is "Calling All the Children Home." I didn't find a great version of that on Youtube, but I did find a nice performance, with John playing hammer dulcimer, of "Step by Step":

Poems for Very Early Spring

Song of the Turtle

“and the song of the turtle is heard throughout the land.” Song of Songs 2:12

winterwaiting
our spirits hibernating
like our brothers the bear
our sap slow and deep
our thoughts turned in

but what’s this?

a turtle coos victory over death
the earth quickens
sends out magic crocus
forsythia explode
ecstatic mirror of the sun
redbud promise
dogwood dance under the April moon

our sap is running
our love is blooming
our spirits dancing
to the turtle’s magic song

(Pippa Passes, Kentucky
February 1979)


February’s Dream

the snow lies thick upon the earth
the groundhog saw his shadow
the nights are long and bitter cold

but I have watched closely
and have seen some signs:

the morning concert of chirping birds
tree twigs turned a shade of red
silver maples’ pregnant buds

I have felt the quickening
first hope in this hard winter

I look for the crocus
and remember the birth
of a love

(Pippa Passes, Kentucky
February 1979)